Finally, after months, nagkita na rin kami ni Hulio, 'yong pinsan kong alam ang paghihirap at lungkot ko no'ng high school just before he left for Spain for an exchange program. Nasakto na wala akong klase ngayon at maaga ang uwian ni Hulio. Nakuha pala siya ro'n sa exchange program matapos niyang mag-apply. He'll leave the day after tomorrow, on August 5.
I was headed to España right now. No'ng una ay dapat dadalaw na lang siya sa bahay, pero sabi ko ay gusto kong puntahan na lang siya. I haven't been to España. But some classmates of mine from last term told me there were a ton of places to eat there, marami ring mura.
Wearing black shorts, a white polo that had thin fabric, and blue sneakers, I walked on the street of Padre Noval. I brought a small sling bag for my phone, wallet, and umbrella. Dapat pala nag-cap din ako, ang init maglakad dito, 'yong tirik ng araw, grabe.
Huminto ako sa gilid at kinuha ang telepono ko, Hulio messaged me saying he was at a Japanese restaurant nearby, sa ILLO raw. Naglakad ako at nakarating kung nasaan siya.
I saw him instantly when I went into the eatery. He was alone in an empty table. His bag was on the chair in front of him, guarding my chair. Lumapit ako at inabot sa kaniya ang bag niya.
"Bilis mo," aniya.
"Malapit na ako no'ng nakita ko message mo, e," I told him.
"Pili ka na, ako na o-order para sa 'tin," tumango ako at tumingin sa menu na nakabalandra sa wall ng lugar. Nakadikit iyon sa wall na nasa likod ng counter.
"Ebi katsu 'tsaka gyoza, I'll pay you later, wala pa akong barya," tumango siya at tumayo dala ang wallet niya.
I looked around the place and saw students from UST eating. Ang lapit nito ro'n sa isang gate, kaya siguro ang daming Thomasians dito. Pero ang dami ko ring nadaanan na kainan. Kabubukas lang no'ng iba, may ilang cafe rin akong nakita. Gusto ko nga i-try 'yong isa, e, mamaya, sasabihin ko kay Hulio.
My cousin came back after five minutes.
"Ang daming donation drives na ginagawa ng org mo, ah," Hulio said as he put his wallet in his bag.
"Alin?" tanong ko.
"Ah, dinagdagan mo na ba? Akala ko isa pa rin. 'Yong tungkol sa mga bata."
Right, the last time we chatted, I told him I had only one org.
"Yeah, I added two more," sabi ko.
"Alin 'yong mahilig sa donation drive?" tanong niya.
"'Yong tungkol sa mga bata, 'yon ang mahilig. Advocacy talaga ng org ko na 'yon na tumulong sa mga bata as much as it can."
"Ano-ano 'yong iba mo pang sinalihan?"
In-explain ko sa kaniya at napatango siya.
He leans in a bit and says, "kilala mo si River? River Abad?"
"Yeah, he promoted our products no'ng donation drive. 'Tsaka, varsity, why?"
"Schoolmate natin 'yon dati, baliw," lumaki ang mga mata ko.
"Huh? Really?"
"Yeah, sa bagay, 'di mo naman 'yon pinapansin dati kapag nagkikita tayo at kasama ko siya kahit na pinakilala ko na sa 'yo no'ng bata pa tayo. Best friend ko 'yon."
"I thought I was your best friend?" nagtataka kong sabi.
Napangiti siya. "Pareho kayo," deklara niya.
"Schoolmate pala natin siya dati... Well, you're older than me by a year, kaunti lang naman din kilala ko sa batch mo. If pinakilala mo siya before, I must have forgotten."
BINABASA MO ANG
Jump From the Air (Erudite Series #5)
General FictionHaving to care for her mother since the end of grade school, Meadow Jil Carreal was no stranger to exhaustion. Being the bigger person physically, mentally, and emotionally was excruciating, but Meadow always was. When Meadow, a DLSU student, eats d...
